What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantArginine
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningDipeptide-2
Skin ConditioningOligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingSorbitol
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Arginine, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Copper Tripeptide-1, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Dipeptide-2, Oligopeptide-1, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tocopherol, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Sorbitol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAcrylates Copolymer
Niacinamide
SmoothingCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantBetaine
HumectantAlgin
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantPotassium Chloride
Agar
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSucrose
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningIris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingCucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Niacinamide, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Betaine, Algin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Potassium Chloride, Agar, Caprylyl Glycol, Sucrose, Allantoin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Collagen Extract, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Lactobacillus Ferment, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinBetaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water